The Hungarian national flag was hoisted in front of Parliament this morning to mark state celebrations of the anniversary of Hungary’s anti-Habsburg revolution that began March 15, 1848.

The ceremony was attended by President János Áder, Speaker of Parliament László Kövér and a large crowd celebrating the national holiday.

Following the ceremony, a state celebration began in the garden of the National Museum where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, according to tradition, delivered his speech. Abouthungary.hu will publish this speech in full in the coming days.

According to MTI, commemorations of the revolution are also being held by ethnic Hungarian communities around the world.

The revolution and freedom fight was part of a series of uprisings in Europe in 1848. On March 15, citizens of Pest gathered in front of the National Museum and demanded independence from Habsburg rule.

Hungary’s first independent government with Count Lajos Batthyány as prime minister approved a reform package called the April laws. Later, the uprising grew into a war of independence, put down by Austria in late 1849.